In Vitro-Fertilization (IVF) Basics

In Vitro-Fertilization (IVF) Basics Related Information:

If you’re having problems conceiving for one reason or another, there’s no doubt that you’ve begun to think about the possibility of In Vitro-Fertilization (IVF). The question is, ‘What do I need to know?’ The answer, of course, is not so simple, but like any search, you’ll need to begin somewhere. Here you’ll find some fundamental questions and answers that should help to decide if IVF is right for you. Remember to take ample time to think about these things. This is nothing that one should rush into.

What exactly is Infertility? How is it diagnosed?

You can define “Infertility” as one year of unprotected intercourse without achieving pregnancy. Couples usually go to a specialist, when there have been reoccurring problems with pregnancy; not a simple problem. These couples usually seek assistance from a variety of sources, one of them being a fertility specialist. The couple and the couple's physician can decide on a treatment based on the results of these tests.

Just What Is IVF?

IVF combines a number of techniques. Specialists often prescribe fertility medications, in order to stimulate the production of more than one egg in a cycle. This increases the chances of insemination. Then the eggs are removed and combined in the laboratory with the sperm, and placed back inside the woman approximately three days later.

Is IVF Very Successful?

You ought to know that many people don't get pregnant on their first cycle of IVF. This shouldn’t alarm you though. There are some people on the fourth and occasionally the fifth or sixth cycles of IVF, who only then are able to conceive. This is important to remember. Like most things, it takes patience and often a few tries.

Is It Common For Older Women And Older Couples To Seek IVF?

It is, in fact, and this has been seen as an increasing trend in the past years. Women, now more than ever, have their own career and more goals and obligations that only homemaking. Older women and their spouses are starting to think about having a child later in life, and because of this, their chances of getting pregnant are sometimes lower than those women and couples who decide to conceive when they are younger.

Are There Any New Developments In Fertility?

Yes there are. The biggest achievement, from several years ago, was the development of a male infertility treatment called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI. ICSI. This involves injecting sperm directly into the egg. Men can now have their sperm removed directly from their testes and injected into the egg for conception.

How Expensive Is The IVF Procedure?

This depends what state you live in. There are several states in the USA, where insurance covers IVF. However, unfortunately in most states, even though infertility is a well-recognized medical condition, insurance companies deny coverage. You’ll want to know that some IVF procedures are more expensive than others, but that in general, the cost of the IVF procedure itself is usually somewhere between $6,000 to $10,000, and the medication cost tends to be around $2,000 or $3,000.

Now that you have an idea of what IVF is, you’ll be able to consider it as a possible procedure if you and your partner are having problems conceiving. Also, remember that these are not all of the questions that you’re going to want to ask, if you are in fact interested in IVF. Be sure to speak to your doctor at length before visiting a specialist. You’ll want all of your questions answered before going ahead with the procedure.